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Liquid fuel cell

a technology of liquid fuel cell and liquid fuel cell, which is applied in the field of liquid fuel cell, can solve the problems of difficult to reduce the size of the power generator stack and simplify its structure, the thickness of the end separator section cannot be easily reduced, and the distribution of liquid fuel in the stacking direction becomes worse. , to achieve the effect of improving the output characteristics

Inactive Publication Date: 2005-10-06
KK TOSHIBA
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  • Summary
  • Abstract
  • Description
  • Claims
  • Application Information

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

[0012] The objection of the present invention is to pro

Problems solved by technology

However, with the structure described above, it is difficult to reduce the size of the power generator stack and simplify its structure.
Further, as the number of stacks of cells increases, the distribution of the flow of the liquid fuel in the stacking direction becomes worse.
More specifically, in the case of a stack structure in which the end separators have piping functions and the clamping structure is provided as a separate unit, the thickness of the end separator section cannot be easily reduced.
Thus, it is difficult to simplify the stuck structure or reduce the size thereof.
Thus, it is difficult to simplify the structure.
Especially, in the case of the direct methanol type fuel cell, the effects of high-concentration carbonate gas in the fuel discharge side and intermediate products generated by the power generating reaction are so strong that there is a great possibility of damaging the treatment such as the coating.
When the coating is damaged, short-circuiting may occur within the stack and metal ions may be mixed into the liquid fuel.
The internal short-circuiting may cause not only a decrease in the output from the stack, but also abnormal heat generation and breakage of the MEA.
On the other hand, if the fuel is contaminated due to the flow-out of metal ions, the performance and lifetime of the MEA may be significantly deteriorated, which must be avoided in the first place.
As a result, the distribution of the flow of the liquid fuel in the stacking direction becomes unstable, thereby causing problems such as lowering of the stability of the output and decreasing of the output itself.

Method used

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first embodiment

[0042] The direct methanol fuel cell (DMFC), which is an embodiment of the liquid fuel cell according to the present invention, will now be described. FIG. 1 is a cross sectional view schematically showing a stack of a direct methanol fuel cell according to the present invention. FIG. 2 is a plan view schematically showing a separator used in the stack shown in FIG. 1, when viewed from a fuel flow path side. FIG. 3 is a cross sectional view of the separator shown in FIG. 2 taken along the line III-III. FIG. 4 is a plan view schematically showing the separator shown in FIG. 1, when viewed from an oxidizer flow path side. FIG. 5 is a plan view schematically showing a lower end plate used in the stack shown in FIG. 1. FIG. 6 is a plan view schematically showing an upper end plate used in the stack shown in FIG. 1. FIG. 7 includes a plan view 7A and a side view 7B schematically showing a fuel throttle member used in the lower manifold plate shown in FIG. 5.

[0043] The stack shown in FIG....

second embodiment

[0071]FIG. 1 illustrates an example in which the manifold plates are used as end plates; however the present invention is not limited to this example, but it is also possible to, for example, provide a manifold in an intermediate layer of the stack. With this structure, the system can be further reduced in thickness. An embodiment of such a structure is shown in FIGS. 8 and 9. FIG. 8 is a front view schematically showing the stack used in the present invention, and FIG. 9 is a side view of the stack shown in FIG. 8 when viewed from the right-hand side.

[0072] As shown in FIG. 8, a resin-made manifold plate 21 has a fuel supplying manifold 23 including a fuel supplying joint 22, formed at a front left side of FIG. 8, and a fuel discharging manifold 24 formed at a rear right side of FIG. 8. Further, an oxidizer supplying manifold (not shown) is formed at a front right side of FIG. 8, and an oxidizer discharging manifold (not shown) is formed at a rear left side of FIG. 8. First and sec...

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Abstract

A liquid fuel cell includes a cell stack unit containing at least one separator that includes a liquid fuel flow path and an oxidizer flow path, an end separator stacked on an outermost layer of the cell stack unit and having a liquid fuel inlet, a resin-made manifold plate including a fuel supplying manifold joined to the liquid fuel inlet of the end separator, a resin-made fuel throttle member placed in the fuel supplying manifold and including a fuel passing hole of an opening area smaller than an opening area of the fuel supplying manifold, and a liquid fuel supplying member which supplies liquid fuel to the fuel supplying manifold of the resin-made manifold plate.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS [0001] This application is based upon and claims the benefit of priority from prior Japanese Patent Application No. 2004-106159, filed Mar. 31, 2004, the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION [0002] 1. Field of the Invention [0003] The present invention relates to a liquid fuel cell. [0004] 2. Description of the Related Art [0005] Fuel cells have a stack structure in which single cells and separators are stacked alternately one on another. Each single cell has such a structure that an electrolytic layer such as an electrolytic plate or a solid polymer electrolytic film is placed between a fuel electrode and an oxidizer electrode, whereas each separator has grooves serving as reaction gas flow paths, on both of the front and rear surfaces. [0006] A single cell of a liquid fuel cell such as a DMFC (direct methanol fuel cell), includes a membrane electrode assembly (MEA). The membrane electrode...

Claims

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Application Information

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IPC IPC(8): H01M8/02H01M8/04H01M8/10H01M8/24
CPCH01M8/0247H01M8/1011H01M8/2455H01M8/2483Y02E60/523H01M8/0263H01M8/2485Y02E60/50
Inventor HARADA, YASUHIROTOMIMATSU, NORIHIROSADAMOTO, ATSUSHIHIRAZAWA, HIROAKI
Owner KK TOSHIBA